CINCINNATI — Hamilton County Coroner Lakshmi Sammarco told WCPO 9 on Wednesday they are reaching out to authorities in Louisiana about a dismembered body case to compare it to the discovery of a dismembered body found in Cincinnati last year.
"I just found out (Wednesday) morning that Louisiana has a dismembered body that they're trying to identify as well," Sammarco said.
The torso of a an unidentified woman was discovered on Nov. 5 in North Fairmount; two months later, as Cincinnati police and FBI agents were conducting a search of the surrounding area, officials discovered more remains, which were determined to be the woman's head.
Sammarco said the coroner's office wants to connect with Louisiana authorities to see if there are any similarities in the two cases or how the "bodies were treated."
"They're also having trouble identifying that case," Sammarco said.
Alongside connecting with Louisiana police, Sammarco said they've been working on an information sheet that will be sent out in a social media blitz for other law enforcement.
Sammarco said they want to share information about the case more widely to generate better leads.
"We're thinking we've had two press conferences about it, we've asked the public for help, but yet we've got people who have not even, don't know anything about it, who have not seen it on local news, and how do we get to those people?," Sammarco said. "How do we get the information out?"
Sammarco is hoping this will be helpful in sharing this woman's description and information, especially because authorities believe the woman may not be from the Cincinnati area, Sammarco said.
"Just because we've had no contact, on the other hand, we've got people that don't even know about her in our own community, so maybe it's just a matter of not getting to enough people," she said.
Sammarco said the coroner's office is still working alongside a forensic artist to hopefully make a digital recreation of the woman's face.
In November, Sammarco said she believed the woman had been killed on either Nov. 3 or 4, and she was likely dead before she was dismembered.
At a press conference in January, Sammarco increased the potential age of the woman to between her late 20s to early 50s, but they still believe she's on the lower end of that spectrum. She is African American or mixed-race African American, about 5 feet tall and 120 pounds, Sammarco said.
While she has no tattoos, birthmarks or scars, CPD Captain Stephen Saunders said there is evidence that, around three years ago, she was pregnant. He said there's no proof she gave birth, but it's possible the evidence means she could have a child out there around that age.
The woman's remains were in good condition, and her head had short curly hair with teeth in it, Sammarco said.
Her cause of death is known, but Sammarco declined to share that information with the public.
